Improved washing-machine



@ni-tehl tateles 'gatent @ffice Letters Patent No. 81,273, dated August 18, 1868.

IMPROVED WASHING-MACHINE.

tite Sttehule refereren tu in tlgese tetters ttextt mit uniting niet rt tige same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, WILHELM HOEFT, of Fountain City, in the county of Buffalo, and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washingdlachlnes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled iu the art to make and use the lsame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichi Figure 1 is an end view of my improved machine, partly in section, through the line :c a', fig. 2.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken. through thc line y y, iig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. 4

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved washing-machine, simple in construction, easily operated, not liable to get out of order, durable, and which will do its work quicker and better than other machines, and at the same time will not injure the clothes.

p It consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is the framework of the machine. B is the box or tub, in which the washing is done, and the lower part of which is made rectangular in its general form. I

The 'sides b of the upper part of the tub B are made curved, and are hinged at their lower edges to the upper edges of the stationary part of said sides, as shown invg. 1, so that the said hinged parts may be turned down so-as to rest upon the cross-bars a', attached to the projecting ends of the beams of the frame A, thus forming receptacles, which may be conveniently used when putting the clothes into and removing them from the machine.

C is a shaft, which passes through and works in bearings in the upwardly-projecting ends of the tub B. To the' end or ends of the shaft 'C is' attached a crank or fly-wheel, D, which may also be used as pulleys when the machine is driven byl power. Upon the middle part of the shaft C are formed two double cranks, e', projecting from opposite sides of said shaft, both being in the same` plane, as'shown in figs. 1 and 2.

E are frames, the side-bars of which are made curved, as shown in iig. 1. The upper ends of the frames E are pivoted to the upper parts of theupwardly-projecting ends of the tub B. To the loweil ends of the frames E are attached the beaters F, the opposite faces of which are made to correspond with each other, the one being slightly concave, and the other convex, so` that the clothes may be pounded and squeezed by and betweenthc said beaters as they are moved toward euch other. The lower edges of the beaters F may be grooved or toothed, as. shown in figs. 1 and 2, so as to actas rubbers.y

The frames E are connected with the double crank c of' the shaft C by the conneeting-rods G, one end of whichis pivoted 'to the said double cranks e, and their other ends pass through the rock-shafts e', pivoted to the frames E;

The rods G are made elastic by the wire springs H, coiled around the outer parts of the rods G, upon each side of the rock-shafts e', se that the frames E may adjust themselves to the thickness of clothes to be operated upon.

The rods G may be made' adjustable in length by forming them in two parts, the end of one part screwing into a hole or socket formed in the end of the other part.

The bottom ofthe tub B is made double, the upper bottom being perforated, so that the dirt washed from the clothes may settle between the said bottoms, from which it may be drawn oit` through a hole in the side or end of the tub, which hole may be closed by a spring-valve, I, or by other convenient means.

J is a hook, pivoted to the frame A, which may be dropped into a cavity in the hub of one of the wheels D, so as to held the operating parts of the machine stationary, when desired', for convenience in putting in land taking out the clothes.

When the machine is being operated, the upper edges of the hinged partsoi" the sides of the tub B are secured by hooks to the stationary top K ofthe tub, which is kept in place upon the ends of the end-boards of said tub by dowel-pins and grooves, as shown in iig. 2.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-f 1. The combination of the pivoted frames E, beaters F, connecting-rods G, and double cranks c', formed upon the driving-shaft C, with each other and with the tub B, when arranged so that the iouble beaters approach and leave each other, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arrangement of the hinged parts of the sides ofthe tub B, end-boards of said tub, and removable top K with each other and with the projecting en'ds of the frame A, substantially as herein shown' and described7 and for the purpose set forth.

WILHELM HOEFT. Witnesses: I

CHARLES Kommt, JACOB HENTGES. 

